Identification bracelet



Feb. 3, 1959 w. J. POLZIN IDENTIFICATION BRACELET Filed May 15, 1958Unite 2,s71,s92 mnnrrrrcnrron BRACELET Winfred J. Polzin, Thiensville,Wise, assignor to Will Ross, Inc.-, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation ofWisconsin Application May 15, 1958, Serial No. 735,569 2 Claims. c1.40-41 This application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Serial No. 659,665 filed May 16, 1957, now Patent No.2,846,796. Like said patent, this invention relates to identificationbracelets useful for civilian defense purposes, in girls and boys camps,jails and other institutions, but especially in hospitals, and has moreparticular reference to an identification device in V the form of a bandwhich may have its opposite ends connected to form a bracelet encirclinga limb of a hos- Patented Feb. 3,'-1s59 ice the snap fastener may-bereadily moved out of the way while a connection'is being establishedbetween the male pitaliz ed person, the band having provision to receivei and hold' a card with information and/ or indicla thereon to identifythe hospitalized person.

Despite the fact that identification bands or bracelets of several typesare presently in use or available, no one heretofore has succeeded inproviding a completely'satisfactory identification bracelet.

Some are objectionable because their attachment to the limb of a personinvolves several tedious and time consuming steps during which specialtools are often required to effect clinching or riveting of the ends ofthe band together in a more or less permanent fashion. Otheridentification bands are objectionable by reason of insufliciently,secure fastening means and inadequate strength in the band itself toassure against conscious or unconscious removal of the bracelet by theperson wearing the same.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide anidentification band which has none of the objections outlined above, andwhich features easy to close and exceptionally secure fastening means bywhich its ends may be joined together entirely without the use of toolsto form a bracelet encircling the limb of a hospitalized.

person, ease of adjustab'ility for size so that it does not need to bemeasured and cut to fit, sufiicient strength in the band itself toassure against, either accidental or intentional tearing of the band,and finally, assurance against displacement of the card or otheridentifying marker accommodated by the band.

In my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 659,665, filed May 16,1957, now Patent No. 2,846,796, there is disclosed an identificationband having a pocket tension stresses.

thereon adjacent to one, end of the band in which an identification cardor the like may be received. One wall of the pocket is transparent sothat indicia on a card in the pocket may be readily viewed therethrough.A snap fastener closes the mouth of the pocket, and the male element ofthe snap fastener projects through one of a series of lengthwise spacedapart apertures in the other end portion of the band to thus connect theends of the band in bracelet fashion. In the identification device ofsaid copending application the male and'female elements of the snapfastener were secured in the walls of the pocket, near the mouththereof, and consequently it was somewhat difiicult to align theprojecting male portion of the fastener with one of the apertures in theband, since the female member hid the area in which the connection wasbeing made. To minimize this objection, the female snap fastener elementand the apertured end portion of the band.

Thus it is a general object of this invention to provide anidentification device of the character described which may be veryeasily and quickly fastened on the limb of a patient, even a squirminginfant, without the need for fumbling or trial-and-error movements.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement ofparts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the bestmode so far devised for the practical application of the principlesthereof, and in which: s

Figure l is a perspective view of the identification band of thisinvention in open or unfastened condition;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional veiw taken on the plane of theline 2-2 inFigure l; V Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device showing thesame with its ends initially secured together to form a bracelet butwith the snap fastener unfastened;

Figure 4 is a similar perspective view but showing the snap fastenerclosed; and

I plied to like parts throughout the several views, it will be seen thatthe identification band of this invention generally comprises anelongated strip 5 of flexible material, preferably a plastic of a typewhich has exceptionally good resistance to tearing when subjected to Asubstantial length of the band at one end portion thereof is widened toform one side wall 6 of an elongated pocket generally designated 7.Theother side wall of the pocket is "provided by a strip 8 oftransparent and flexible plastic material. The strip 8 serves as the topor outer wall of the pocket when the, band is in use, and it hasslightly less width than the bottom wall 6 of the pocket. Thetransparent strip is secured to the Wider wall 6 of the pocket alongboth longitudinal margins thereof by bonded joints it which areformed'by subjecting the overlapping marginal edge portions of the twopocket forming walls to heat and pressure in a well known manner. Thewall 8 of the pocket is alsobonded to the band along a transverse line11 at the junction of the band with the pocket, by the same means aseffects the joints it}, all of these joints being made at the same timein a press heated to a suitably high temperature.

It is important to note that since the transparent top or outer wall 8of the pocket is slightly narrower in its transverse dimension than thebottom wall 6 of the pocket, it will hold the wider bottom wall of thepocket in a bowed condition of outward transverse convexity as seen bestin Figure 2. This is desirable not only from the standpoint of comfortto the wearer, but also by reason of the fact that the mouth 12 of thepocket is held agape to facilitate insertion of an identification card13 of a size large enough to contain all of the informa tion or otherindicia needed for proper identification of a hospitalized person. Itis, of course, to be understood that the card must be so inserted intothe pocket that its indicia is visible through the window provided bythe transparent wall 8 andthat whenthe band is in place on the limb of apatient the window faces outward. The pocket 7 is wide enough to alsoreceive a length of the opposite end portion of the band.

It is one of the features of this invention that the two end portions ofthe band may be securely fastened together entirely without the useof'tools without preliminarily measuring and cutting the band to thesize of the limb to be encircled thereby. For this purpose the narrowend portion of the band is provided with a series of longitudinallyspaced holes 14, any one of which is cooperable with a fastening device15 to join the ends of the band and to close the mouth of the pocket.The structure of the bracelet thus far described is the same as thatdisclosed in my aforesaid copending application, now Patent No.2,846,796.

The fastening device 15 comprises a snap fastener having cooperatingmale and female elements 16 and 17. At the ends of the two walls of thepocket adjacent to its mouth are a pair of flaps 18 and 19. The lowerflap 1% is integral with the bottom or inner wall of the pocket, andthus comprises the end of the band itself, while the upper flap 19 isintegral with and thus flexibly joined to the outer" transparent wall 8.The female element 17 of the snap fastener is secured to the upper flap19, while the male element 16 is secured to the adjacent. end of theband which provides the lower flap 18. As is conventional, the femalefastener element has a hole or well 20 therein of a size to tightlyreceive a tit or button 21 on the male element, projecting from theouter face of the band. The holes 14 in the narrow end portion of theband are of a size to freely accommodate the button 21 on the malefastening element, and the latter is adapted to be projected through oneof these holes when the band is formed into a bracelet.

When it is desired to secure the band about the wrist or ankle of ahospitalized person, the band is wrapped around the desired limb withthe transparent wall or window 8 of the pocket outermost and theconvexly curved bottom wall of the pocket against the limb. Thisautomatically assures that the male element of the fastener will faceoutward. A length of the apertured end portion of the band is theninserted into the pocket through the mouth 12 thereof to a distance suchas to bring the band into more or less snugencircling relationship withthe limb and to align one of the holes 14 in the band with the button 21on the male element of the fastener. Such alignment of the properhole-14 with the button is facilitated by reason of the fact that theupper flap 19, which carries the female snap fastener element, can bebent or folded back away from the button 21 on the adjacent end of theband to provide easy access thereto, as shown in Figure 3, so that theposition of the holes in the apertured end portion of the band, withrespect to the button 21, can be readily observed. When the desired hole14 is properly aligned with the button 21, the button may be insertedthereinto to temporarily hold the hand, and the upper flap can then bedropped or moved to its closed position overlying the adjacent portionof the band so as to bring the female snap fastener element intoaccurate alignment with the button 21 on the male element. Then theperson applying the band merely exerts finger pressure on the co- (5.operating elements of the fastener to project the button 21 into thehole 29 in the female element of the fastener, as seen in Figure 4.

It will be appreciated that once the ends of the band have been securedin place forming a bracelet encircling the limb of a hospitalizedperson, those portions of the snap fastener which are exposed on theoutside of the pocket are nearly flush with the pocket walls and providelittle or no surface which can be grasped by the person wearing thebracelet in a conscious or unconscious attempt to open the fastener. Itwill also be apparent that closure of the snap fastener will preventdisplacement of the identification card.

It will be understood that the pocket 7 has sufiicient length so as tonot only accommodate a suitable identification card 13 containing all ofthe necessary information pertaining to the hospitalized person, but toalso accommodate a substantial length of the apertured end portion ofthe band, if necessary, thus enabling the band to be adjusted to form abracelet of any of a wide variety of sizes. Inasmuch as the aperturedend portion of the band is inserted under the identification card, itnot only leaves the entire card readily visible through the transparentwall 8 of the pocket, but the card itself serves to hide that endportion of the band which is disposed in the pocket inwardly of the snapfastener.

The best assurance against either consciousor unconscious opening of thesnap fastener is had when the button 21 on the male element fits quitetightly in the aperture 20 in the female element, and while itpreferably requires the application of considerable pressure thereto, itshould be capable of manual closure, by finger pressure, so as toobviate the use of tools. It is recommended that the band be cut with ascissors when the bracelet is to be removed from the limb of thepatient.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanyingdrawing it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthis invention provides an identification band which can be formed intoa bracelet to encircle the limb of a hospitalized person or the like,and which band features a pocket to accommodate an identification card,and fastening means for joining the opposite ends of the band togetherin a simple but. most secure manner, entirely without the aid oftools,.and by which fastening means the identification card is held inits pocket without danger of displacement; and it will also be apparentthat the identification device of this invention may be very quickly andeasily adjustedto the required size and securely fastened in place, evenon the limb of a squirming infant.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. An identification bracelet comprising: a band of flexible materialone end portion of which has a row of spaced apart perforations disposedlongitudinally of the band; means on the other end portion of the banddefining an elongated pocket having opposing walls and a mouth openingto the adjacent extremity of the hand, one of said opposing walls beingintegral with the band and the other being transparent, said opposingwalls being permanently bonded to one another along both longitudinalmargins thereof and along a transverse line which is adjacent to thejunction between the band and the pocket so as to enable the pocket tohold a card with indicia thereon legibly visible through the transparentwall and to receive a substantial length of the opposite end portion ofthe band; a pair of flaps, each comprising a lengthwise extension of oneof said Walls of the pocket at the mouth thereof; and a snap fastenercomprising cooperating male and female elements secured on said flaps,the

male element being adapted to be engaged with the female element throughany one of the apertures in the band when the apertured end portion ofthe band is inserted into the pocket to form the band into a bracelet,and by which engagement of the snap fastener elements a card is securedin the pocket.

2. A unitary identification bracelet adapted to be applied to the limbof a hospitalized patient, comprising: a band of flexible materialhaving a row of apertures in one end portion thereof, said aperturesbeing spaced lengthwise of the band; a short flap flexibly connectedwith the band at its other end for movement to and from a closedposition flatwise overlying the adjacent end portion of the band and apart of the apertured portion of the band which may be laid thereon; asnap fastener to secure the flap in its closed position with the maleelement of the fastener passing through a selected one of the aperturesto thus form the band into a bracelet of a size depending upon which ofthe apertures the male element passes through, the male element of thefastener being secured to said end portion of the band and projecting upfrom the side thereof which is covered by the flap when the latter is inits closed position, and the female element being secured to the flapand having its mouth at the side thereof which faces downwardly towardsthe band in the closed position of the flap; and an elongatedsubstantially rectangular window of transparent flexible materialoverlying an imperforate portion of the band and having its side edgesand one end thereof permanently bonded to the band so that the windowand the adjacent portion of the band together form an elongated pocketinto which an indicia bearing card may be inserted, the window being atthat side of the band from which the male element of the fastenerprojects so that when the band is wrapped around the limb of a patientwith the window facing outward, the male element of the fastener alsofaces outward to facilitate its engagement in one of the apertures inthe band preparatory to closure of the snap fastener.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,824,199 Donohoe Sept. 22, 1931 2,111,664 Gross Mar. 22, 1938 2,641,074Richmond June 9, 1953 2,655,747 Duskin 'Oct. 20, 1953 2,738,561 TrillingMar, 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 330,705 Great Britain June 19, 1930

